Spinning preparation device

Abstract

A spinning preparation process and device with a mixer (3) for mixing fibers, with a withdrawal apparatus (10) for withdrawing fibers from the mixer (3) and a separating device (4), arranged downstream of the same in the conveying direction of the fibers, for separating foreign matter from the fibers, characterized in that the separating device (4) is arranged immediately downstream of the withdrawal apparatus (10), the fibers are taken from the withdrawal apparatus (10) as a fiber fleece (22) which is spread out transversally to the conveying direction of the fibers and are thus supplied to the separating device (4), and the fiber fleece (22) is examined by the separating device (4) for foreign matter and is substantially cleaned from the same.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for mixing and preparing fibers for processing in textile machinery, said process comprising mixing an incoming stream of fibers in a mixer; withdrawing the mixed fibers from the mixer with a withdrawal apparatus; supplying the withdrawn fibers from the withdrawal apparatus to a separating device disposed immediately downstream of the withdrawal apparatus in a conveying direction of the fibers in the form of a fiber fleece spread out transversely to the conveying direction of the fibers; and automatically examining the fiber fleece for foreign matter with the separating device, and cleaning such foreign matter from the fiber fleece in the separating device. 
     
     
       2. The process as in claim 1, further comprising conveying the cleaned fiber fleece with an airstream to a conveying device downstream of the separating device. 
     
     
       3. The process as in claim 1, wherein said cleaning step comprises blowing such foreign matter out of the fiber fleece with pneumatic nozzles. 
     
     
       4. The process as in claim 1, wherein said cleaning step comprises separating such foreign matter from the fiber fleece with actuable flaps. 
     
     
       5. The process as in claim 1, comprising conveying the fiber fleece through the separating device in a free-fall form. 
     
     
       6. A textile fiber spinning preparation device, comprising: a mixer disposed to receive and mix a supply of fiber conveyed therethrough;   a withdrawal device disposed downstream of said mixer in a conveying direction of said fiber and configured for receiving mixed fibers from said mixer and forming said mixed fibers into a fiber fleece which is spread out transversely to said conveying direction; and   a separating device disposed generally immediately downstream from said withdrawal device in said conveying direction to receive said fiber fleece, said separating device further comprising a sensor device to scan and detect foreign matter in said fiber fleece, and a removal device to separate detected foreign matter out of said fiber fleece.   
     
     
       7. The device as in claim 6, wherein said mixer comprises a tower mixer. 
     
     
       8. The device as in claim 6, wherein said withdrawal device comprises an elevator lattice. 
     
     
       9. The device as in claim 8, wherein said withdrawal device further comprises a stripping roller disposed to remove said fiber fleece from said elevator lattice. 
     
     
       10. The device as in claim 6, further comprising a conveying device disposed to convey fibers freed from foreign matter in said separating device downstream from said separating device for further processing. 
     
     
       11. The device as in claim 6, wherein said sensor device comprises an optical sensor. 
     
     
       12. The device as in claim 11, wherein said optical sensor detects said foreign matter by differences in color. 
     
     
       13. The device as in claim 6, wherein said removal device comprises at least one pneumatic device disposed downstream from said sensor to automatically blow detected foreign matter out of said fiber fleece. 
     
     
       14. The device as in claim 6, wherein said removal device comprises at least one actuable flapper device disposed downstream from said sensor to engage and divert detected foreign matter from said fiber fleece.